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Welcome to Home Shalom!

Welcome to Home Shalom and Shalom Farm. We pray your visit here be blessed. We are learning to walk in the Ways (Torah) of our Father YHWH and follow Y'shua, His Messiah until He returns to "set things straight". We call it a "Messi-Life". Our walk is neither tidy nor perfect, but it is filled with passion, devotion and desire to serve our King. We are learning to be humble servants, and to be good stewards of the things that He has entrusted to us: His Word, our marriage, our children, our family, our community, our health, and our farm. Hitch your horse and stay a while--our door is always open!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

The King's Daughter Interview - Christine

My name is Christine. My family and I live in a little country town called Cootamundra.

Cootamundra has a population of about 7000. We live on a 5 acre rented property about 8kms from town, surrounded by farming land. We haven't always lived here...both my husband and I were born and bred in Sydney but after a desire to leave the 'rat race' was planted in our hearts by YHVH...here we are. Oh, and of course Cootamundra is in NSW, Australia.

My husband, Jono, and I are raising our 3 blessings...Bridget who is 12, Jonah who is 7 and William who is 5. I am almost 39, and Jono likes to remind me that he is younger by 6 months :-) We homeschool together and Jono hosts a weekly Torah radio show called Truth2U. I am studying Ancient History from home so we are all together most of the time. We have a small herd of goats for milk and meat, a few chickens and a rather pathetic vegetable garden (the green thumb wasn't passed to either Jono or myself so we are having to learn the hard way!). We also have 2 cats and a dog.

Please tell us a little about your faith:

I have shared about my faith at length on this page http://www.truth2u.org/thehometruth/?page_id=307, but the short version is that I love the Elohim (God) of Israel and desire with all my heart to serve Him, understand Him more and bring honor to His name.

Is there a Moslem or Jewish presence in Australia? What is the political climate there? What is it like to homeschool there?

The political climate here is democratic...but it has the potential to take a strong left. We have an election in about 6 weeks. Currently we have a female Prime Minister who overthrew the elected one (you may have heard in the news). Like many other western nations, Australia too is becoming more socialist. So far, we have not encountered any problems from the government with our decision to homeschool. It is a legal option and although probably not as widespread as it is in the States, it is definately gaining ground as a "movement". Christians probably make up the majority of the numbers, but there is a growing 'natural learning' community that encompasses both religious and secular families and many Muslims are now choosing to Homeschool. Speaking of Muslims, there are significant numbers...and they are quietly growing. Even out here in the rural community there is a Mosque some 50kms from us. Sometimes we eat at a Muslim café just near the radio station because at least we can be certain that the food we order there has not been cooked on the same grill as 'unclean animals' :-) The highest proportion of Jews in Australia would be in Melbourne, although there are small communities in each capital city. Many, if not most would fall into the secular category. Jewish culture is nowhere near as influential here as I believe it is in the States. There are virtually no messianic communities, except for 'Jews for Jesus' a fellowship, but only small groups of families or individuals like ourselves scattered all over the country. We are slowly finding out about each other but many of us are too far away from each other to gather regularly. We hope to travel some 1000kms this year to celebrate Sukkot with some people we have only recently met...the first time we have had fellowship for a feast in the 5 years that we have been walking in Torah!

What can you tell us about your husband's radio show? How did He get started in radio?

About 2 years ago, YHVH put it on Jono's heart to go to the local community radio station and ask for a spot. At first he was simply playing sermons and teachings each week, but as our faith has matured so too has the show. Now days Truth2u broadcast live from the country town of Young, NSW, Australia but can be listened to via the internet all over the world. Over 3 hours each week, Jono talks with a variety of guests with the aim of proclaiming the Truth of YHVH’s Word and exposing the 'traditions of men' that have historically kept us from that pure truth. Regular guests include Jeff Gilbert, Brad Scott, Mark Call, Joel Sanchez, Hanok ben Isaak, Nehemia Gordon, Paul Nison, Mark Pitrone and Joe Kovacs. Each program is podcast and available for free playback from the website http://www.truth2u.org/

Have you experienced any persecution for becoming a Torah Keeper?

Currently, we have no local fellowship and are very grateful for the friends that we have met online. We have tried to share with many Christians but have so far only been met with the usual "you're under the curse of the law" type responses and worse! I am looking forward to the day when we can gather with other Torah Keeping families regularly! But in the meantime, it is Yah who prepares the hearts and we must trust Him and just continue on living in Torah, raising our children in Torah, and being a light to those hopefully with see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven :-)

List your top 5 favourite things to do:

Riding my bike up and down the lane with my children, enjoying a glass of wine on the front balcony with Jono at the end of the week, taking long hot showers, staying in my PJ's until 2pm on Shabbat, cuddles and kisses from my kids.

That I can actually bend both my thumbs back at a 90 degree angle. It's my party trick :-)

What is your favorite thing about your husband?

How much he loves Abba, and how he will obey no matter what it means he has to sacrifice.

What is your biggest parenting challenge?

That my kids will overlook my many faults and see me trying to please Him, not trying to please myself.

What are you currently studying in The Scriptures?

I'm doing the S90 challenge with Michelle at 8 of a Kind Family, plus the weekly 1 year Torah portion cycle.

What are you most passionate about?

Without a doubt, the truth of a matter. I'm studying ancient history because I have this inner need to know why...why do people do things the way they do? Where do customs and traditions come from? Where did it all start? What is the context of the Scriptures? How did the ancient peoples really live and how did they understand Torah? I'm really passionate about things like that!

I so appreciate Christine. Have you ever just had The Father connect you in the Spirit to other believers? He does it to me all the time. Christine is one of those people. We are starting to communicate outside of "blog world". I highly encourage folks to visit her Husband's (Jono) Radio show. Its good listening! I just want to take the whole tribe Down Under and crash one of their Shabbats so I can catch Christine in her Jammies and fellowship! I'll bring the food. :-)

So great to read your interview Christine:) I am also glad to know that I am not the only one who doesn't have fellow believers close to her, I think it makes the fellowship we have online all that more important right now.